Mounting for detachable printing bars



Oct. 3, 1950 c. D. RYAN EIAL 2,524,543

MOUNTING FOR DETACHABLE PRINTING BARS Original Filed June 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Camni fisizyan BY Edward I? Drake ATTORN Oct. 3, 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL.

MQUNTING FOR DETACHABLE PRINTING BARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 16, 1944 yam aka iNVENTORS Commodore 11R Patented Oct. 3, 1950 i i V I BARS Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake, Los

Angeles, Califl, assignors to'Commercial Controls Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application June 16, 1944, Serial No. 540,728. Dividedand this application January 19, 1945, Serial No. 573,516

This invention relates to printing mechanism use in the rotatable printing head of the meter of a metered mailing machine One of the objects of this invention is to provide printing mechanism which is simple, practical and thoroughly durable. Another object is 6 Claims. (Cl. 101--109) and more particularly to printing mechanism for to provide new and improved printing mecha-. nism. Another object is to provide mechanism of the above character'in which the printing die may be readily changed. Another object is to provide mechanism of the'above character which is characterized by its simplicityof construction. A further object is to provide mechanism of the above character for a rotatable printing .head

which is easily set at either printing or non-,

printing positions. Still another object is to provide mechanism of the above character in which eflicient. means is provided to hold the printing element in either printing or non-printing position. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements ofparts, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application which will. be lowing claims. it

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this-invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rotatable printing head of a. meter of a metered'mailing machine; V

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the rotatable printing head shown in Figure 1 taken on the line 22 of Figure l,*the removable portion of the head being separated from the body of the indicated in the fol- Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a Vertical section'taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 5; and, 1

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 ofFigure 1.

Similar reference characters refer 'to.'simi1ar parts throughout the several views of the drawdescribed hereinafter is particularly adapted for use in the rotatable printing head of the meter of a metered mailing machine. There is certain printed matter which must appear on certain stamps printed by the meter, such as Section 562 P. L. & R. on third class mail, which does notappear on other stamps or on stamps of first and second class mail. Furthermore, there isa possibility that changes in the postal laws may require printed matter different from that nowused on stamps to be used in the future. Thus. it is an object of this invention to provide a printing die which may be readily moved between printing, and non-printing positions and also readily interchanged with other printing dies carrying different printing matter. Difficulty in accomplishing these objects is encountered due to the fact that the sides of 1 the printinghead of the meter of a metered mailing machine are covered by a housing to prevent the taking of fraudulent impressions from the stamp dies. Thus, the only readily accessible place for operating and interchanging such a printing die is the outer end of the printing head. Accordingly, it is another object to overcome the above-mentioned difficulties as well as many others.

Rotatable printing head I'll (Figure 1) is cylindrically shaped (Figure 4), is mounted on a shaft H (Figure 1), and is cyclically driven through shaft II as shaft His turned during the operation of the meter. A portion ofthe meter is shown in Figure 1 and is generally indicated at [2. Printing head l0 turns in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4 and has a printing element generally indicated at [3 thereon. Printing head to is enclosed in a housing diagrammatically indicated at 20 (Figure 4) which covers the sides of the head with the exception of a hole in its lower portionto permit the printing dies on the head to coact with the platen diagram- 'matically indicated at E5 (Figure 5) to print upon matter positioned between the platen and the head. Thishousing has another opening therein to permit access to the outer end I 3a of the print-. ing element I 3 (Figure 1). When the printing head is in rest position; the die It on printing element it (Figure 4) and other portions of the stamp dies, gen'erally indicated at 2| are covered by housing 20. This prevents the taking of fraudulent impressions from the stamp dies when the meter is in rest position.

The mechanism in head It] (Figure 4) is mounted on two parallel supporting plates 23 and 24 which are secured to the outer end of shaft ll. Printing element 1'3. (Figures 4 and 5) is flat with the exception of the upwardly extending portion I317 which carries the printin die IS. The lower edge of element l3 curves downwardly to a portion I30 of element l3 which has a slot 25 therein. The mouth of slot 25 opens downwardly, as viewed in Figure 5, and it will be noted that slot 25 slants slightly to the right as viewed in this figure. This aids in the removal of element l3 from the printing head id, as will be described more fully hereinafter. The outer edges of element [3 at the mouth of slot 25 are beveled outwardly away from each other to aid in mounting element l3 on a pivot pin, generally indicated at 26.

Pivot pin 26 has two enlarged portions 26a and 26b (Figure l) thereon on opposite sides of the portion of pin 26 on which element I3 is pivotally mounted. The juxtaposed faces of enlarged portions 26a and 261) are beveled toward the axis of pin 26 to aid in guiding the portion [30 and its slot 25 of element [3 into operating relationship with respect to pin 26. Pin 26 is secured to supporting plate 24 in any suitable manner, such as by a reduced portion (not shown) which extends through plate 24 and then is headed.

A lever, generally indicated at 30 (Figure resiliently urges movement of element IS in a clockwise direction or from a printing to a nonprinting position. This lever is in the form of a bellcrank which is pivotally mounted on pin (Figures 1 and 5). The lower end of lever extends to the left as viewed in Figure 4; and is connected by a spring 3| to a lug 24a on plate 24. The upper arm 30a of lever 30 is aligned with and abuts against the upwardly extending portion 13b of element 13 (Figures 4 and 5) Thus as spring 3l urges arm 30b of lever 30 downwardly, arm 33a of lever 30 resiliently urges movement of element l3 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5.

Toaid in mounting element 13 on the rotatable printing head I0, aguide member 33 is provided. The lower portion 3311 (Figure 5) of this member is secured to supporting plate 24 by rivets 34. The upper portion 33b of member 33 curves outwardly and thence upwardly. This portion of member 33 slants upwardly to the left, as viewed in Figure 5, and is so positioned that it acts as a chute to guide the inner end of element [3 when element I3 is being inserted or removed from the printing head.

Element l3 is held in printing or non-printing position and its removal from the printing head is controlled by a latch member, generally indicated at 48 (Figure 2). The outer end l3a of element [3 extends through a slot 4| in the end wall of the printing head and the body of element I3 is inserted into or removed from head l0 through slot 4!. Latch member 40 is pivotally mounted on a pin 43 connected to end 7 wall 42 and is resiliently urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 44 which is also mounted on pin 43. One of the ends of spring 44 bears against a forwardly extending portion 40a of latch member 40 (Figure 3) and also against a portion 45 of the printing head housing. Latch member 40 has a finger piece 4% (Figure 2) which extends through a slot 46 in end wall 42, thus permitting member 40 to be manually moved in a clockwise direction against the action of spring 44. When element [3 is in printing position, as viewed in Figure 5, then it is supported by a lug 48 (Figure 2) extending to the left from the righthand edge of slot 4| as element I3 is held against the right-hand edge 4| by latch member 40.

When it is desired to move element l3 to a nonprinting position, the user moves the end portion 13b of element l3 to the left, as viewed in Figure 2. Movement in this direction is permitted because slot 4 Ms wider than the thickness of element I3. After element l3 has been moved-to the left, then it can be moved downwardly past lug 48 by spring 3| until it strikes a lug 50 on latch member 40. Latch member 40 then resiliently urges the end portion l3b of element [3 to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, into engagement with the right-hand edge of slot 4|. At this time it is held in a non-printing position between lugs 48 and 50. I

If it is desired to change element I3 and replace it with one having a difierent die, finger piece 4% is used to move lug 50 from beneath element I3. This permits spring 3! to move element 13 to the position indicated by the dotted line 60 in Figure 5. When the element [3 is in this position, its inner end may be moved upwardly to free the connection between slot 25 and pin 26. Then element I3 may be withdrawn from the printing head through slot 4! (Figure 2). When the new element is inserted, latch member 43 is held to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, and the chute portion 33b of guide member 33 guides the inner end of element 13 into position on pin 26. Once the element is pivotally mounted on pin 28, it may be moved either to a printing or non-printing position.

Thus a thoroughly efficient and practical printing mechanism has been disclosed in which the printing die may be moved to and retained in either printing or non-printing positions. Fur thermore, the printing element is easily removable from the machine so that another one may be substituted for it. Accordingly it will be seen that the objects hereinabove referred to, as well as many others, are successfully accomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of this invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In mechanism of the type described, in com.- bination, a printing head, a printing element having an open-ended slot therein, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, said printing element being detachably mounted on said pivot pin by means of said slot, a pivotally mounted member, said member engaging said printing element, spring means for resiliently urging said member to move in a direction in which it resiliently urges movement of said printing element out of printing position, a catch for locking said printing element both in and out of printing position, and a chute for guiding said printing element into engagcment with said pivot pin as it is mounted on said printing head.

2. In mechanism of the type described, in combination, a rotatable printing head, a printing element extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said printing head, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, means forming a slot in said printing element adjacent one end thereof, said slot having one end open, said slot slanting downwardly and outwardly toward the axis of rotation of said head and the end of said printing element, means permitting said printing element to be manually moved between printing and removal positions, and a catch for holding said printing element in printing position, the free end of said printing element being moved'toward the axis of said printing head when said printing element is moved into removal position, said pivot pin coacting with said slot to prevent removal of said printing element except when said printing element is in removal position.

3. In mechanism of the type described, in combination, a rotatable printing head, a printing element extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said printing head, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, means forming a slot in said printing element adjacent one end thereof, said slot having one end open, said slot slanting downwardly and outwardly toward the axis of rotation of said head and the end of said printing element, the other end of said printing element extending from one end of said printing head to permit said printing element to be manually moved into and out of printing position, and a catch for holding said printing element in printing, non-printing, or removal position, the free end of said printing element being moved toward the axis of said printing head when said printing element is moved into removal position to substantially align said slot longitudinally with respect to the axis of said printing head, said pivot pin coacting with said slot to prevent removal of said printing element except when said printing element is in removal position, said printing element being moved longitudinally of said printing head when it is removed therefrom.

4. In mechanism of the type described, in combination, a rotatable printing head, a printing element extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said printing head, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, means forming a slot in said printing element adjacent one end thereof, said slot having one end open, said slot slanting downwardly and outwardly toward the axis of rotation of said head and the end of said printing element, means permitting said printing element to be manually moved between printing and removal positions, a catch for holding said printing element in printing position, the free end of said printing element being moved toward the axis of said rinting head when said printing element is moved into removal position, said pivot pin coacting with said slot to prevent removal of said printing element except when said printing element is in removal position, a member pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a portion of said member engaging said printing element, and a spring connected to said member and said head, said spring acting through said member to resiliently urge said printing element out of printing position.

5. In mechanism of the type described, in combination, a rotatable printing head, a printing element extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said printing head, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, means forming a slot in said printing element adjacent one end thereof, said slot having one end open, said slot slanting downwardly and outwardly toward the axis of rotation of said head and the end of said printing element, the other'end of said printing element extending from one end of said printing head to permit said printing element to be manually moved into and out of printing position, a catch for holding said printing element in printing, non-printing, or removal position, the free end of said printing element being moved toward the axis of said printing head when said printing element is moved into removal position to sub stantialiy align said slot longitudinally with respect to the axis of said printing head, said pivot pin coacting with said slot to prevent removal of said printing element except when said printing element is in removal position, said printing element being moved longitudinally of said printing head when it is removed therefrom, spring means for resiliently urging said printing'element out of printing position, and a channel-shaped guide member for guiding the slotted end of said printed element into engagement with said pivot pin when it is being mounted on said rotatable printing head.

6. In mechanism of the type described, in combination, a rotatable printing head, a printing element extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said printing head, a pivot pin mounted on said printing head, means forming a slot in said printing element adjacent one end thereof, said slot having one end open, saidslot slanting downwardly and outwardly toward the axis of rotation of said head and the end of said printing element, the other end of said printing element extending through a slot in one end of said printing head to permit said printing ele ment to be manually moved into and out of printing position, a catch for holding said printing removal of said printing element except when said printing element is in removal position, a pivotally mounted member engaging said printing element, and spring means acting through said last-mentioned member for resiliently urging movement of said printing element out of printing position.

COMMODORE D. RYAN.

EDWARD P. DRAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 731,490 Ogan June 23, 1903 1,202,393 Joline Oct. 24, 1916 1,701,053 Peirce Feb. 5, 1929 1,905,526 Swanson Apr. 25, 1933 2,127,530 Reppert Aug. 23, 1938 2,204,971 Rouan June 18, 1940 

